Charles V (King of France 1364 – 1380)

Summary

Charles V (January 1338 – September 1380), called the Wise , was a monarch of the House of Valois who ruled as King of France from 1364 to his death.

In 1349, as a young prince, Charles received from his grandfather King Philip VI the province of Dauphiné to rule. This allowed him to bear the title “Dauphin” until his coronation, which saw the integration of the Dauphiné into the crown lands of France. From this date, all heirs apparent of France bore the title of Dauphin until their coronation. Charles became regent of France when his father John II was captured by the English at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. To pay the ransom, Charles had to raise taxes and deal with the hostility of the nobility, led by Charles the Bad, King of Navarre; the opposition of the French bourgeoisie, which was channeled through the Estates-General led by Etienne Marcel; and with peasant revolts known as Jacqueries. Charles overcame all of these rebellions, but in order to liberate his father, he had to conclude the Treaty of Brétigny in 1360, in which he abandoned large portions of south-western France to Edward III of England and agreed to pay a huge ransom. Charles became king in 1364.

Charles V died in 1380. He was succeeded by his son Charles VI the Mad, whose disastrous reign allowed the English to regain control of large parts of France.

Relatives

Father: John II of France (not in diary)Mother: Bonne of Bohemia (not in diary)Spouse: Joanna of Bourbon (not in diary)